


Simple life

by Sylvalum



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Monopoly (Board Game), he's doing it but the reader can't hear it, no one even swears once like can you believe how unrealistic, off-screen swearing, this is so frightfully domestic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-07
Updated: 2018-07-07
Packaged: 2019-06-06 12:23:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15194717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sylvalum/pseuds/Sylvalum
Summary: It's game night.





	Simple life

“I own everything in Mor Ardain; pay up.”

“C’mon, it’s nearly… it’s 1500! I only have like, 200 g.”

“And Mikhail’s out,” announces Akhos with a smirk, knocking the red piece off the board. Patroka’s little smile is almost as smug as Malos’ face, even though it would take just _one_ unlucky space for Patroka to lose everything. Jin watches it all serenely – he owns a lot of houses in Tantal and Leftheria, so he’s not too worried… Though when playing Money-bye-bye (or as humans say, Monopoly) there’s always cause to be worried about tearing your whole social circle to pieces.

“My turn.” Patroka daintily picks up and throws the dice.

They all look at the number.

“Well, Patroka,” Malos says. “700 g, please.”

-while the rest of them wait in quiet apprehension, Akhos gleefully removes her pawn from the board, throwing it in the box with the rest of the discarded pieces…

“At least you’re not alone in loser-land, my sweet,” Mikhail quips cheerfully, as Patroka hands over all her money to Malos.

“And at least I’m not in _last place_ ,” Patroka says, turning the full might of her glare on Mikhail instead. Mikhail lets out a short and nervous burst of laughter, and Akhos takes the dice…

…and then he starts playing to _win_. Jin isn’t that bad at board games, but somehow Akhos manages to leech away all his cash in just four turns. Jin doesn’t care for winning (he doesn’t care for much of anything) so he’s mostly surprised that the game is ending this quickly-

Except it isn’t.

Malos and Akhos’ pawns go several laps around the board, and barely anything happens. They both have half a board of their own, and somehow they both manage to avoid the worst spaces to land on, the money just going back and forth without anyone ever getting richer. It’s a bit like watching someone clean – really boring, but if you have nothing else to do you might as well stay around. Pick up a broom. Wash the dishes, contribute to the household; who cares about society.

Eventually Patroka leaves, and Mikhail is quick to follow. “Tell me who won later,” he says to Jin, who nods and waves at him to go. It must be quite late by now – no way to tell without seeing the sky…

-Akhos _does_ win, in the end. Jin rouses from his musing to applaud him, while Malos starts to put away the board and pieces, grumbling under his breath.

“This was a very interesting game, wasn’t it?” Akhos comments smugly. “’til tomorrow.” He throws a mocking salute and disappears. Jin rises from the chair he’s been sitting in for the last few hours, stretches, and takes the game box just as Malos finishes putting things away.

“I’ll put this back.”

Malos lets him take it, and Jin puts it in the ‘useless knickknacks’ cupboard. Malos is constantly complaining about the fact that the cupboard even exists, while Mikhail says the ship ‘ _wouldn’t be the same without it_ ’. Thus the cupboard stays. It’s a never to be spoken of rule. They’re all missing something that can’t be regained – they’ve got some quirks. Things they do for no reason other than homesickness, useless shit they won’t throw out. Like the cupboard.

No one asks. That’s the rule.

Jin closes the cupboard almost gently, and heads back to his armchair. Malos hasn’t left the sofa either – he starts talking as soon as Jin’s back. “We wasted a night playing board games,” he states, an unspoken _why_ hanging in the air.

“We’re done with the plans, aren’t we?” He adds, “This is good for morale, I’m sure.”

Malos rolls his eyes and huffs, but doesn’t reply.

Jin can feel himself smiling, just a little.

**Author's Note:**

> why did i write this. _cause you like the villains you big loser_   
>  \--anyway, thanks for reading!


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